A raid in northern Baghdad by coalition forces, with assistance from Iraqi police, resulted in the death of Abu Asma, the al Qaeda "military emir of northern Baghdad." Intelligence reports indicated Abu Asma was in possession of and expected to use suicide-bomber vests against Iraqi civilians and security forces.

Abu Asma, also known as Abu Anas and Akram Mahmud Al Mushhadani, was an explosives expert with close ties to senior Baghdad-based car-bomb manufacturers. Officials said he was directly responsible for many deaths and injuries among coalition and Iraqi security forces.

In other news, soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, located a weapons cache Feb. 22 south of Baghdad. Three caches had been discovered in the same area during previous searches.